Defiance or democracy?

The stance taken by Imran and Qadri has its pitfalls

“May you live in interesting times”, a quote widely misquoted as being Chinese certainly applies to Pakistan these days. One can interpret it as a curse.

A newspaper headline screamed ‘Defiant Imran Khan asks Nawaz Sharif for re-elections.’ Ramesh Memon from India tweeted on 23rd August, 2014, ‘And if Sharif does not? Will IK remain in that container for days, months, years, whatever?’

Good question and one that I had raised in my last op-ed. What is the pressure button Imran will use in order to make the government come to the negotiation table? The more the days go by, the more Imran and Qadri lose the initiative. It becomes increasingly obvious that the trump card has been played. If Imran and Qadri had banked on the army to take an initiative here, much like in the not so very past in reinstating the Chief Justice when Nawaz had issued a call to the people to come to the streets, General Sharif on the other hand has categorically stated that both parties should come to the negotiation table.

In the meanwhile a local newspaper says, “Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch said both parties fully agreed on dialogue process,” adding that talks would continue. He asserted that there was not any deadlock or deadline.” (Published 23rd August, 2014)

In the meanwhile Prime Minister has dismissed the possibility of a complete audit of the elections. Further PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi told reporters that “the party had decided to suspend negotiations until the government stopped the ‘crackdown against party workers’ and registered an FIR against the PML-N supporters who protested in front of his house in Multan.” (Pakistan Today)

In the meanwhile people of the dharna spend time out on the roads, life in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad remains paralysed, movement almost impossible for most part of the time.

What happens as the dialogue continues and people sit in rain, heat and twiddle their thumbs? Will they start drifting away? In all probability, yes because as the fire and passion wears out, the futility of hanging on and administrative issues start setting in.

Is PML-N playing for time? Probably. Is it a smart move? Yes, it is. What should be Imran and Qadri’s next move? Unfortunately they seem to have boxed themselves into a corner. Their cards are on the table, but the hand is not good. However, the hand has been overplayed laying all eggs in one basket. The basket of confrontation.

No forward strategy beyond this point seems visible. Do not take me wrong. I do not talk from any position of partiality. I have supported the entrance of new parties in the arena of politics. Status quo breeds its own problems.

Or is there one?

Talks in any situation means to give some and take some. In this scenario, it will mean conceding more and more to the sitting government and losing advantage. So will it be a face saving exit? Probably, yes.

Less will be conceded, minor points. Will that make Imran’s supporters and Qadri’s supporters happy? No, it won’t. So how are both likely to react knowing this? Confrontationally? Sticking to their guns? Demanding Nawaz et al to resign? Do I see this happening? With each passing day, no, I do not.

The above opinion notwithstanding, it looks like an action replay. Qadri at Islamabad with PPP government in power. Then the steam fizzling out. Predictably, the PML-N is looking towards a referee to step in to ‘save democracy’. Enter PPP. The ‘real’ opposition. On Saturday, PML-N chief invited Asif Ali Zardari for lunch. Reports say he will be visiting Mansoora, besides meeting Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Shujaat. Actually the Sharif ‘bratharaan’ need to take a few lessons from Zardari on suavely handling such crises. On heels came the joint press release that no unconstitutional demand would be acceptable.

In the meanwhile, in Bannu the Internally Displaced Persons have staged a protest against both Imran Khan and Qadri for diverting media attention from their plight to the Azadi March and the ongoing developments (or lack thereof?).

However, there are more than one angles to any given situation. Zeeshan Shah, a columnist for Pakistan Today shares the following in a mail to some friends, “KP has improved immensely. I just spent 10 days in Nathia, not even Peshawar — the roads are being widened, encroachments just removed from sides. The locals say that schools are now open and the teachers arrive before the school starts, conduct an assembly with the national anthem every morning and stay till the school shuts in the afternoon. The government hospitals are functional and stocked not just with medicines but all complete staff. The police are independent. Not influenced by any politician. It has been a little over a year. The system has been corrupt and diseased for 67 years. It will take time to clean up. Beyond Facebook, things are more positive.” (August 23, 2014)

In an interesting piece published in Pakistan Today, authored by Raoof Hasan, “There have been some other rather invisible developments. The proclamations regarding the absolute necessity of trying General Musharraf for treason have long since disappeared. These have, instead, been replaced by pleas to move him wherever the appropriate quarters may desire. According to unconfirmed reports, he may already have visited his ailing mother in Dubai. The government also appears willing to cede further ground to the military on demand that contrasts sharply with its jingoistic and belligerent approach towards the institution at the beginning of its current stint in power. Has there been a genuine mellowing down of temperament that is rooted in seeking revenge for the 1999 dismissal of the Nawaz Sharif government, or is this only a cover to get the needful reprieve and then move on back to the original trail that dwells in the domain of unmitigated venom and animosity?”

Interesting angle to the situation.

Reminded me of the view by a learned friend in a private mail.

Senior journalist Iftikhar Firdous naughtily tongue-in-cheek tweets on August 23^rd, “When does the ICC come into action & end this tournament, blacklist all the players and say “It’s still a white man’s game?”

When indeed?

Where do the marchers go from now?

Home?